Visor adjustment device

ABSTRACT

An adjustment device for positioning a body portion of a sun visor includes a substantially flat base portion having opposite sides and a plurality of arcuate spring members extending in alternating fashion from each of the opposite sides to the other of the opposite sides and a gap exists between a free end of the arcuate spring fingers and the base portion, so that the arcuate spring members fit over the spindle member and are configured to flex as the arcuate spring members rotate about the spindle member.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present invention claims priority as a national stage application ofInternational Patent Application Serial No. PCT/EP2004/01203 filed onFeb. 10, 2004, and German Patent Application Serial No. 10306733.7 filedon Feb. 17, 2003, which are incorporated herein by reference in theirentirety.

FIELD

The present invention relates to a device for adjusting the position ofa sun visor for a vehicle. The present invention relates moreparticularly to a device for arresting the position of a body of the sunvisor about a spindle of the sun visor at desired locations.

BACKGROUND

Such sun visors are installed in modern motor vehicles and are thereforegenerally known. In this connection, the sun visor body is mountedrotatably around a spindle. In order that the body can be arrested indifferent angular positions around the spindle, a spring, which isconnected to the sun visor body and is thus likewise rotatable aroundthe spindle, serves to exert a force on the lateral surface of thespindle, which leads to resistance to further rotation. In aparticularly advantageous angular position of the body, especially goodarresting of the body is provided by in particular a flat portion on thespindle which otherwise has a cylindrical or cylinder-shaped lateralsurface.

Such a sun visor is known from German laid-open specification DE 198 35963 A1, for example. A clamping spring, which grips over the spindlewith two legs, is arranged non-rotationally in the sun visor body andserves to hold the sun visor body in its angular position, and in theposition of non-use of the sun visor body, lies with one leg on the flatportion and bears with its other leg against the lateral surface of thespindle. In this case, it is disadvantageous that at least parts of theclamping spring—in particular its outermost end—are in the region of thespindle arranged relatively far away from this spindle or from thelateral surface of the spindle in some positions of the body. This isdisadvantageous inasmuch as the mechanical parts for arresting the sunvisor body are in general embedded in a plastic matrix or a plasticcovering and are consequently invisible from outside. In order toincrease the durability of the plastic covering—also described for shortas covering below—it is necessary to provide it with an adequate minimumthickness of material. This is difficult in the region of the spindleand in particular on that part of the body (“at the upper end of the sunvisor”) lying opposite the main part of the body because a greatermaterial thickness of the covering also requires a greater spacing ofthe spindle from the vehicle interior facing, for example. Partsprojecting a long way from the spindle which are necessary for arrestingthe sun visor consequently lead to an increased space requirement,increased weight and thus higher costs for such a component.

Accordingly, it would be desirable to produce a device for arresting arotatable visor body in which—in particular in the region of the visorspindle which determines the spacing from the vehicle interiorfacing—regions projecting a long way from the spindle of the componentsprovided for mechanical arresting are avoided.

SUMMARY

According to one embodiment, a device is provided for arresting a bodywhich is rotatable around a spindle having a lateral surface. The bodyis settable in a first angular position and in a second angular positionrelative to the spindle and is arrestable more strongly in the firstangular position by at least one first part surface of the lateralsurface than in the second angular position. The device and the body aremechanically non-rotationally interconnected and the device comprises atleast one spring element, where the device surrounds the lateral surfaceessentially completely except for a gap by its spring element. Thedevice preferably bears, outside the region of the gap, essentiallycompletely against the two part surfaces of the lateral surface at leastin one of the angular positions relative to the spindle, so that in theregion of the spindle no parts projecting a long way are necessary forarresting the body at the “upper end” of the body. In a preferredembodiment, the device comprises a base element interacting with thefirst part surface of the lateral surface to bring about especially goodarresting of the body in the first angular position. This has theadvantage that the position of non-use of the sunshade is occupied andheld especially stably. Furthermore, this has the advantage that thebase element is flat at the bottom, so that, below the base element andthus in immediate proximity to the spindle, space is thereforeavailable, for example for accommodating a cosmetic mirror or rear-viewmirror, which would not be available in the “clamping” or arrestingregion of the spindle in the case of a device projecting a long way intothe body.

According to a preferred embodiment, the spring element, starting fromthe base element, surrounds the lateral surface of the spindle to agreat extent in a first bending direction around it and that furthermorea further spring element, starting from the other side of the baseelement, surrounds the lateral surface of the spindle to a great extentin a second bending direction around it, the first and second bendingdirections being opposite. The device may also be displaceable relativeto the body in the axial direction in relation to the spindle, toprovide a sun visor which is not only rotatable but also displaceablealong the spindle. This is possible in an especially cost-effective waywith the device.

The present invention also relates to a body, in particular a sun visorbody for use in a vehicle, which comprises a device according anotherembodiment. Such a body typically comprises a wire frame and is providedwith a covering—also described as foamed covering below—which is made ofEPP—expanded polypropylene—for example. In this connection, the wireframe is connected to the device and placed into a mold for productionof the covering. The covering material is introduced into the mold, andthe covering is provided with the intended shape by the action ofpressure and temperature. Accordingly, it is desirable that the coveringhas an adequate minimum thickness in all places but in particular inespecially stressed places such as for example in the region of thespindle.

The present invention also relates to an arrangement for arresting abody, the arrangement comprising a device and the body together with thespindle, the first part surface of the lateral surface of the spindlebeing non-round or flattened. The second part surface is advantageouslyessentially cylindrical. This has the advantage that the spindle can beproduced especially simply and cost-effectively.

The invention is explained in greater detail below with reference toillustrative embodiments shown in the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a side view of a device with a spindle introduced into itaccording to an exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 2 shows a side view of a spindle with a first section line and asecond section line according to an exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 3 shows a sectional illustration of the device with the spindleaccording to an exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 4 shows a sectional illustration of the spindle along the firstsection line in FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 shows a sectional illustration of the spindle along the secondsection line in FIG. 2.

FIG. 6 shows a perspective illustration of the device according to anexemplary embodiment.

FIG. 7 shows a diagrammatic illustration of the body according to anexemplary embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 illustrates a device 10 according to an exemplary embodiment witha spindle 8 introduced into it in side view. The device 10 comprises abase element 1, which is provided essentially in the form of an elongateflat component, in particular a metal plate, and has at its endsbent-off portions, which are designated by reference numbers 2 and 3. InFIG. 1, a total of six spring elements 4 are arranged, starting from thebase element 1 of the device 10. The spring elements 4 surround thespindle 8, starting from the base element 1. In this connection, thespring elements 4 are, along the spindle 8, that is from left to rightin FIG. 1, connected to the base element 1 alternately on differentsides of the base element 1 relative to the axial extension of the baseelement 1. According to the illustrated embodiment, the base element 1,its two angled portions 2, 3 and the spring elements 4 are in particularprovided in one piece and together form the device 10. This is shown ina perspective illustration in FIG. 6. For the sake of simplicity, onlyone of the spring elements 4 is provided with the reference number 4 inFIG. 6, and another, for better differentiation, with the referencenumber 41. In a direction, which is indicated in FIG. 6 by an arrowprovided with the reference number 9 and corresponds to the axialextension of the base element 1, first the spring element designated bythe reference number 4 is, starting—seen in the direction 9—from theright side of the base element 1, bent according to a special curve overthe base element 1 toward its left side in a counterclockwise bendingdirection, and then the further spring element designated by thereference number 41 is, starting from the left side of the base element1, bent according to a special curve over the base element 1 toward itsright side in a clockwise bending direction. In this connection,however, the bending of the spring elements 4, 41 is not so completethat the spring elements 4, 41 touch the base element 1 again on theside in each case opposite their starting sides, but a gap 12 isprovided between the base element 1 and the spring elements 4, 41. Byvirtue of this, the ends of the spring elements 4, 41 in FIG. 6 are freeand thus capable of exerting a restoring force if they are deflected outof their rest position. In the rest position of the spring elements 4,41, the gap 12 corresponds to an opening of approximately 20°, forexample. According to the invention, the gap is present because thespring elements 4, 41, which during their production are typicallyplastically deformed starting from sheet metal blanks, elasticallyrecover a little after the bending operation for their production.

FIG. 2 illustrates the spindle 8 in side view with a first section lineI—I and a second section line II—II. In the region of the first sectionline, the spindle 8 has in particular a circular cross section as isshown in FIG. 4, which represents a sectional illustration of thespindle 8 along the first section line I—I. In FIG. 4, the lateralsurface of the spindle 8 is designated by the reference number 80 in theregion of the first section line I—I. In FIG. 2, the spindle 8 has arecess 5, which is provided in the form of a surface or a flattened ornon-round region of the spindle 8; in the region of the second sectionline. In the region of the second section line II—II, that is in theregion of the recess 5, the recess 5 divides the lateral surface of thespindle 8 into a first part surface 50 of the lateral surface and asecond part surface 70 of the lateral surface. For better clarificationof the flattened or non-round region of the spindle 8, FIG. 5 representsa sectional illustration of the spindle 8 along the second section lineII—II with its first portion 50 of the lateral surface and its secondportion 70 of the lateral surface of the spindle 8.

FIG. 3 shows a sectional illustration of the device 10 in the region ofa spring element 4 and also the spindle 8 indicated by a dashed line,according to an exemplary embodiment. The device 10 again comprises theportions 2, 3 angled away from the base element 1 and also the springelements 4. FIG. 3 shows two of the spring elements 4 projected one ontop of another. Each spring element is, starting from one side of thebase element 1, bent over the base element 1 in each case in its bendingdirection—clockwise or counterclockwise—according to a special curve,the gap 12 described in connection with FIG. 6 between the free end of aspring element 4 and the side opposite its starting side on the baseelement 1 not being illustrated in FIG. 3, however, for the sake ofclarity. The special curve of the bending or curvature of the springelements 4 is provided in such a way that the “clear” distancedesignated by the reference number 42 between the base element 1 and the“highest” point—that is opposite the base element 1—designated by thereference A of a spring element 4 is smaller than the diameter 7 of thespindle 8. This gives rise, when the spindle 8 is located between thebase element 1 and the spring elements 4—that is has been introducedinto the device 10—to deflection of the spring elements 4 andconsequently to a restoring force, not illustrated in FIG. 3, of thespring elements 4, which presses the spindle 8 against the base element1. The spindle 8 is introduced into the device 10 by means of, forexample, a cone (not illustrated in the figures) located at the frontend of the spindle 8, which causes the spring elements 4 to expandaccordingly for introduction of the spindle 8. FIG. 3 also shows thefirst and second part surfaces 50, 70. The special curve of the bendingof the spring elements 4 is selected in such a way that the spindle 8introduced into the device 10 can be rotated into any angular positionrelative to the device 10 without locking. In particular a position ofthe first part surface 50 in contact with the base element 1 istherefore possible. This angular position is also designated below asthe first angular position. In this case, the device 10 bears—at leastoutside the region of the gap 12—essentially completely with its baseelement 1 and at least one of the spring elements 4 against the two partsurfaces 50, 70 of the lateral surface. The spring elements 4 are inthis case deflected to a lesser extent because the entire diameter 7 ofthe spindle 8 does not have to be accommodated in the region of thedistance 42—that is between the base element 1 and the highest point Aof a spring element 4—but only the diameter 7 minus the recess, knownfrom FIG. 2 and designated there by the reference number 5, of thespindle 8. Owing to the smaller spring deflection of the spring elements4 in the first angular position, any change in this position leads togreater deflection of the spring elements 4, so that a greater force hasto be applied for such a change than for a change in the angularposition starting from another angular position. For any angularposition—that is in particular those in which the base element 1 is incontact with the second part surface 70 of the lateral surface—it is thecase, however, that the device 10 according to the illustratedembodiment surrounds the spindle 8 and thus the portions 50, 70 of thelateral surface essentially completely, except for the gap 12, with itsspring elements 4. Such other angular position is also designatedgenerally below as a second angular position. An “up-and-down movement”of the spring elements 4 takes place between the first and secondangular positions. In this connection, the size of the gap 12 of coursechanges.

The number of spring elements 4 may be varied. Surrounding the spindle 8from both sides of the base element 1 increases the stability of thespindle 8 in the device 10, but a single spring element 4 is alsopossible according to the invention. Furthermore, provision is made toprovide the special curve of the bending of a spring element 4 for thepurpose of interacting with the first part surface 50 to provideparticularly good arresting of the body in angular positions other thanthe first angular position. This is achieved by a flattened portion (notillustrated) of the special curve of a spring element 4, for example.

FIG. 7 shows a diagrammatic illustration of the body 20 and thearrangement 40 according to an exemplary embodiment. The body 20comprises a wire frame 30, which is connected to the device 10.According to the invention, this connection is provided in particularvia the angled or bent regions 2, 3 of the device 10, so that the device10 and the body 20 are mechanically non-rotationally interconnected. Thewire frame 30 and the device 10 are together surrounded with a plasticcovering or foam-covered. The plastic covering is not illustratedspecifically with a reference number in FIG. 7, but the body 20essentially comprises, in particular with regard to its externaldimensions, the plastic covering. In addition to the body, thearrangement 40 also comprises the mounted spindle 8, which is likewiseindicated in FIG. 7. The spring elements 4 are also indicated in FIG. 7.

1. A device for adjusting a sun visor body which is rotatable around aspindle having a lateral surface, the body being settable in a firstangular position and in a second angular position relative to thespindle, the body being, with regard to rotation around the spindle,arrestable more strongly in the first angular position by at least onefirst part surface of the lateral surface than in the second angularposition, the device and the body being mechanically non-rotationallyinterconnected, the device comprising a base fixed to the sun visor bodyand a plurality of curved leaf spring elements extending in analternating manner from opposite sides of the base, wherein the base andthe spring elements substantially surround and bear against the lateralsurface of the spindle except for a gap between a free end of eachspring element and the base.
 2. The device as claimed in claim 1,wherein the lateral surface has a second part surface, the devicebearing, outside the region of the gap, substantially completely againstthe two part surfaces of the lateral surface at least in one of theangular positions relative to the spindle.
 3. The device as claimed inclaim 1, wherein base interacts with the first part surface of thelateral surface in the first angular position of the body for relativelystronger arresting of the body in comparison with the second angularposition of the body.
 4. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein afirst group of spring elements substantially surround the lateralsurface in a first bending direction except for the gap, and a secondgroup of spring elements substantially surround the lateral surface in asecond bending direction opposite to the first bending direction exceptfor the gap.
 5. The device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the firstgroup of spring elements and the second group of spring elements areconnected to the base on different sides of the base relative to theaxial extension of the base along the spindle.
 6. The device as claimedin claim 4 wherein the spring elements surround the lateral surfacealternately in the first and in the second bending direction along theaxial extension of the base element parallel to the spindle.
 7. Thedevice as claimed in claim 1, wherein the device and the body aremechanically interconnected in such a way that the device isdisplaceable relative to the body in the axial direction in relation tothe spindle.
 8. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the base andthe plurality of spring elements are interconnected in one piece.
 9. Thedevice as claimed in claim 1 wherein the device is made of a metal or analloy.
 10. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the body comprisesa wire frame, the device being connected to the wire frame.
 11. Thedevice as claimed in claim 10, wherein the body comprises a foamedcovering, the foamed covering substantially surrounding the wire frameand the device.
 12. The device as claimed in claim 11, wherein thefoamed covering is provided in the form of an expanded polypropylenefoamed covering.
 13. The device as claimed in claim 10 wherein the bodyis provided in the form of a sun visor for a vehicle.
 14. The device ofclaim 1, wherein the first part surface of the lateral surface of thespindle is non-round or flattened.
 15. The device as claimed in claim14, wherein the second part surface is substantially cylindrical.
 16. Adevice for arresting a sun visor having a body portion rotatable about aspindle member between a first angular position and a second angularposition relative to the spindle member, the device being non-rotatablycoupled to the body portion for rotation about the spindle member; thedevice comprising a base portion non-rotatably coupled to the bodyportion of the sun visor and having a first side and a second side andat least one first curved leaf spring member extending from the firstside toward the second side and at least one second curved leaf springmember extending from the second side toward the first side, wherein thespring members and the base substantially surround the spindle and thespring members are biased to bear on a lateral surface of the spindlemember as the body portion of the sun visor is rotated about the spindlemember.
 17. The device of claim 16 wherein the first spring membercomprises a plurality of first spring members and the second springmember comprises a plurality of second spring members and the firstspring members and the second spring members are arranged in analternating configuration.
 18. The device of claim 16 wherein thespindle includes a flat portion configured to produce a first rotationalresistance when positioned adjacent the spring members and a secondrotational resistance that is greater than the first rotationalresistance when the flat portion is positioned adjacent to the baseportion.
 19. The device of claim 16 wherein the positioning devicefurther comprises a gap between a free end of the first spring memberand the second side of the base portion, and a gap between a free end ofthe second spring member and the first side of the base portion.
 20. Thedevice of claim 16 wherein the body portion further comprises a wireframe coupled to the positioning device and substantially surrounded bya covering material.
 21. A device for arresting a sun visor body that isrotatable about a spindle member between a first angular position and asecond angular position relative to the spindle member, the device beingnon-rotatably coupled to the body and comprising: a substantially flatbase portion having opposite sides extending parallel to the spindlemember and non-rotatably coupled to the sun visor body; a plurality ofarcuate leaf spring members extending in alternating fashion from eachof the opposite sides to the other of the opposite sides of the baseportion; wherein the spindle member fits within an opening formed by thebase portion and the arcuate leaf spring members and the arcuate leafspring members are configured to flex as the arcuate leaf spring membersrotate about and bear against a lateral surface of the spindle member.22. The device of claim 21 wherein the base portion is configured toalign with a flat segment on the spindle member to arrest a body portionof the sun visor in a first position and the base portion is movableaway from the flat segment to arrest the body portion in a plurality ofsecond positions.
 23. The device of claim 22 wherein alignment of thebase portion with the flat segment provides a stronger arresting of thebody portion than alignment of the base portion with the arcuate springmembers.
 24. The device of claim 23 wherein the base portion furthercomprises projections configured to couple the base portion to the bodyportion in a non-rotational manner.
 25. The device of claim 21 whereinthe base portion and the arcuate spring fingers are axially slidablealong the spindle member and rotatable about an axis of the spindlemember.
 26. The device of claim 21 wherein a gap exists between a freeend of the arcuate spring fingers and the base portion.